On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 14

“So, you’re telling me to become a submarine pitcher?”

“No. We can’t drastically change your pitching form out of the blue now.”

“Then what are you saying?”

“I’m recommending that you lower your arm angle. The higher your arm angle, the more velocity you gain, but it also puts a lot of strain on your shoulder and arm. I read that pitchers were okay even after throwing 400 innings during the dead ball era [early 20th century, when baseball rules favored pitching] because they didn’t raise their arms above their shoulders to throw. Rather than forcing an overhand throw while worrying about arm injuries, if you lower your arm angle to a three-quarters level or below, your control will improve, and it will be much more helpful when throwing a sinker.”

“Lower the arm angle…….”

Kim Jung-ryul understood what Song Seok-hyun was saying immediately.

There were often cases where fireballers [pitchers known for their high-speed fastballs] with poor control lowered their arm angles.

When the arm angle is lowered, the center axis is less tilted, making control easier.

It was common sense in the baseball world, but Kim Jung-ryul had never considered it.

He was no longer a fireballer with poor control, but an overhand pitcher with diminished velocity.

If he lowered his arm angle and his velocity dropped even further, he could be pushed beyond the mire and off a cliff.

A shift in perspective.

Song Seok-hyun brought up the two-seam fastball and sinker, hinting that there were options even if he lowered his arm angle.

“Can I even throw a sinker now?”

Kim Jung-ryul swung his shoulder around.

“I’ve never thrown a sinker before. It’s not like a sinker will automatically work just because my velocity has dropped, right?”

Song Seok-hyun smiled slightly.

He could see a small spark igniting in Kim Jung-ryul’s heart.

“Since you’re going to practice anyway, why don’t you start with an underhand toss? If you throw underhand, you’ll get a natural sinker, so why don’t you get a feel for it first and then gradually raise your arm angle?”

“Is that so……?”

A smile appeared on Kim Jung-ryul’s face as well.

He had been struggling in a deep pit without any light when an unidentified rope was lowered.

A high school kid who wasn’t even 20 years old yet.

It might seem ridiculous to listen to the words of a 19-year-old kid when coaches, friends, and even himself had given up.

No, if he had played in a minor league game, he would have listened with one ear and let it out the other.

With so many eyes watching him, how could he take the advice of a junior so far below him to heart?

But now it was different.

Now that everyone, even himself, had given up hope, he was the only one who reached out.

He doubted whether the Ipps [a condition similar to the yips, causing a sudden loss of motor skills] treatment methods floating around on the internet would actually work, but there was no better alternative right now.

More than anything…… didn’t he believe in him?

Belief.

The emotion that had only existed in his memories filled his heart again.

“Well…… let’s give it a try. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. It’s better than just doing the same old things anyway.”

Song Seok-hyun smiled brightly.

“Thank you, senior. For listening to me.”

“Why are you thanking me? I should be the one thanking you. You’ve worked so hard because of me.”

“I’ll help with anything I can. Anything.”

“You rascal…….”

Kim Jung-ryul nodded.

“Okay, let’s give it a try. Nothing to lose.”

Kim Jung-ryul agreed, but it wasn’t the end, but the beginning.

Song Seok-hyun searched for the author of the book and the coach who suggested the Ipps treatment method.

It was difficult to find him only on the internet.

He found out that he had been a coach in a professional team and had left, but he couldn’t find out anything more than that.

Unless he went to Japan and searched in person, that was the best he could do on the internet.

Song Seok-hyun suggested going to Japan to Kim Jung-ryul, but Kim Jung-ryul declined.

“Let’s try it first. If it’s not enough, we can look for him then.”

The methods in the book and on the internet were simple.

Start with a short underhand toss, and when a cluster of hits is formed, increase the distance and raise the arm angle.

It didn’t say how often, how much, or in what order to do it.

It meant that Kim Jung-ryul and Song Seok-hyun had to face it head-on.

“Let’s do it one by one. If the method is right, we’ll get a feel for it.”

From that day on, the two devoted themselves to training from afternoon to evening.

Kim Jung-ryul was able to do the underhand toss without difficulty.

Song Seok-hyun volunteered to play the role of shortstop to receive the tosses.

What was surprising was Kim Jung-ryul’s ability to learn.

After a few days, he was able to do underhand long tosses from a distance beyond the mound with ease.

Two days before Christmas Eve.

Song Seok-hyun put on the catcher’s mask that hadn’t been worn for weeks and sat down.

Thwack! Thwack!

Song Seok-hyun held out his mitt.

“Play ball!”

Kim Jung-ryul laughed at Song Seok-hyun’s loud voice.

“You’re like a real umpire. Okay. I’ll throw it!”

Kim Jung-ryul’s upper body suddenly dropped. Then his hand went down as if scraping the floor.

The ball that left Kim Jung-ryul’s hand soared into the sky.

Pop!

The ball, which had soared to the height of the catcher’s shoulder, suddenly changed direction. The ball falling downwards comes straight into the mitt.

“Strike!”

Kim Jung-ryul raised his fist at Song Seok-hyun’s loud voice.

“Nice! How is it? Is the ball good?”

“Good! You can go straight to the mound!”

“Hahaha, you rascal. Don’t exaggerate.”

“I’m not lying, the ball is really good right now. It was like a sinker from a 20-year submarine pitcher.”

“Yamma [a mild Korean curse word, like ‘you rascal’]. Have you ever caught a sinker from a 20-year submarine pitcher? No, have you ever even seen one?”

Song Seok-hyun threw the ball to Kim Jung-ryul.

“I just caught it, the best sinker.”

Kim Jung-ryul couldn’t hide his smile.

“You rascal. You’re a natural catcher, a catcher. You have a knack for boosting a pitcher’s morale, you do.”

“Boosting morale? I’m just telling the truth.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know.”

Kim Jung-ryul’s velocity was below 130km/h [approximately 81 mph].

He wasn’t going all out, but now he was throwing the ball properly.

Thwack!

“Nice ball!”

Song Seok-hyun caught the curve that went outside.

The fact that the breaking ball, the curve, was working well meant that he was throwing the ball properly.

And throwing the ball properly meant that the fear of injury had disappeared.

He couldn’t throw the ball as fast as he could when throwing underhand, but the underhand form put less strain on the arms and shoulders, while placing a greater load on the knees and waist.

It was a good form for Kim Jung-ryul to throw as much as he wanted.

“Even I can see that went in well.”

Kim Jung-ryul received the ball that Song Seok-hyun threw.

“Seok-hyun.”

“Yes?”

“Come here for a second.”

Song Seok-hyun got up from his seat and walked towards Kim Jung-ryul.

“Yes, what is it?”

“How’s the ball look to you? Is it okay?”

“Yes, I think you can raise your arm angle a little bit now. Are you not in pain anywhere?”

“Yeah, I’m not. If my arm hurts from throwing at this speed, it’s time to retire. More than that.”

Kim Jung-ryul put his arm around Song Seok-hyun’s shoulder.

“Do you have any thoughts on going to spring training?”

Catcher’s Success

Spring Training

“Spring training?”

Song Seok-hyun doubted his ears.

It was currently the off-season.

To go to spring training, the team would have to move at least by the end of January.

The minor league team was currently playing in an educational league overseas, so there was no way they would suddenly put Song Seok-hyun in the educational league.

“Yeah, you rascal. Do you want to get some warm breeze with your hyung [older brother or male friend]?”

“I’m not sure what kind of spring training you’re talking about. Are you saying I should join the minor league educational league right now……?”

“No. I’m not the general manager, how can I put you in the educational league right away? I’m saying, let’s go to Japan for spring training together.”

“Ah, I see.”

Song Seok-hyun belatedly understood Kim Jung-ryul’s words.

Not everyone rests during the off-season. In particular, the first-team players gather in groups of three or five with close friends and do personal training.

Depending on the circumstances, they go to Jeju Island, Japan, the United States, or Australia, and in the case of veteran players, they often take low-salary players with insufficient salaries at their own expense.

Song Seok-hyun had been in the minor leagues with Kim Jung-ryul for so long that he had forgotten that Kim Jung-ryul was a star player.

“How is it? Are you interested?”

“Of course, I’d love to, but…….”

“Don’t worry about the money. Would your hyung take money from you?”

“……Is it okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, you rascal. I need a catcher anyway, and your hyung has received help from you, so can’t I do this much for you? Just go with a peace of mind.”

Song Seok-hyun bowed.

“Thank you, senior!”

“I should have gone a long time ago, but I was a bit…… this year. I didn’t go because I was dilly-dallying. There’s about a month left until spring camp, so it’s a bit short, but doing it indoors in the winter and doing it while feeling the warm breeze are different. Let’s prepare by this week and go sometime next week.”

“Then where are you going?”

“It’s too far to go to the United States or Australia right now. I have to go to Japan, to Okinawa.”

“Japan?”

Song Seok-hyun paused for a moment.

“Then how about we look for the coach you mentioned last time?”

“The person who created the Ipps treatment training?”

“Yes, you’ve seen the effects, but wouldn’t it be better to get a check from the original author if possible?”

“Hmm…….”

Kim Jung-ryul was lost in thought.

He didn’t have much faith before, so he said, ‘Let’s just do it ourselves,’ but now the situation was different.

It wasn’t 100% yet, but he had come up to the level of definitely catching the ball at the underhand level.

Just being able to catch the ball without worrying about arm pain was already half the battle.

“Okay, let’s look for him. I have some people I know in Japan, so I’ll ask them to look for him in detail. He was a coach for a professional team, so if we ask around, someone will know him.”

“He’s already had experience fixing Ipps, so it will be helpful to you, senior.”

“Ah, it’s possible that it won’t just be you and me going. I’m going to contact some other guys. Is that okay?”

“Yes, of course. It’s okay.”

“Okay, that’s settled. That’s settled, and…….”

Kim Jung-ryul wiggled his eyebrows.

“You have leave on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, right?”

“Yes, I do.”

“What are you doing?”

“Me? I think I’m going to hang out with my friends on Christmas Eve and have a meal with my family at home on Christmas Day.”

“Hey, is that all? It’s the last day of your teens, huh? Hotly, bang! Nothing?”

Kim Jung-ryul wiggled his waist back and forth.

“……I don’t have anything.”

“Why not, you look decent? Don’t you have a girlfriend?”

“……No.”

“Anyone who likes you?”

“…….”

Kim Jung-ryul pulled Song Seok-hyun into his arms.

“You rascal, don’t tell me you’re a virgin?”

“That’s private.”

“……I know how you feel.”

Song Seok-hyun came out of Kim Jung-ryul’s arms.

“What are you doing on Christmas Eve, senior?”

“Me? I don’t know…… I guess I’ll go home and have a meal with my family?”

“Why aren’t you dating, senior?”

“Hoo. Well, it just ended up that way. It’s hard to meet a girl when you’re stuck in the minor leagues, and I’m too lazy to go see them. It’s been a while since my side has been lonely.”

“Aren’t you meeting anyone?”

“I can meet women later. It’s funny to meet them while struggling in the rehabilitation group, not even the minor leagues, right? Maybe when I go to the first team.”

“Ah…… yes.”

“Have a good Christmas and make your passport.”

“Ah, passport. I forgot.”

“Tell your parents well too. They’ll be worried if you say you’re going abroad for your first spring training.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Good. Then shall we throw some more balls? We’re going to rest for a few days anyway, so we should run hard today.”

Song Seok-hyun put his catcher’s mask back on and returned to his seat.

Thwack! Thwack!

“Let’s go!”

* * *

Song Seok-hyun headed home for Christmas Eve.

The first person he met was Kim Young-seok.

“Here, a gift.”

“A gift?”

Kim Young-seok looked at Song Seok-hyun, who suddenly handed him a shopping bag.

“What are you doing? Take it.”

“Why suddenly this?”

“Take it, you rascal.”